Vet scales :everything you need to know

Vet scales are an essential piece of equipment for any veterinary practice, but there is a vast array of options on the market. Let’s start by taking a critical look at some critical points regarding veterinary scales.

Spend your money wisely When you’re first starting out, buying digital or dial-type scales is very expensive (nearly $5,000) and you’ll be very limited with your choices of vet scale pads, load cells or extensometers. Veterinary scales with a capacity of around 600 lbs are the most practical choice.

Spend money where it counts. We suggest investing in good quality load cells from reputable manufacturers such as HBM/Dwyer, Rixson or Tescom. Avoid cheap load cells that don’t offer the precision, repeatability and durability of good quality units.

Size matters Vet scales pads are an essential component to any scale installation. Newer scales usually come with large-size pads which makes it possible for your animal patients to stand or sit on easily. Be sure to order enough pads so that you can change them when they get dirty. Also, be sure to purchase pads that are quick and easy to clean in case of spillage or accidents.

Integrate your vet scale with your work processes The most expensive scales in the world will not help you much if you can’t integrate them into your daily workflow. We suggest purchasing a veterinary scale that offers an integrated 3-way weighbridge, Ethernet port and keyboard. This way, your veterinary scales can easily interface to a computer or PDA/label printer for easy data record keeping.

Spending money on service Vet scales are big investments but they should still be serviced regularly to keep them in top condition. For example, the best practice is to perform a daily calibration check on your veterinary scales. Also, it’s important to purchase veterinary scales that are “cleanable” for easy disposal of biohazardous/infectious waste.

What features should I look for? We’ve covered the basics but there are other great features to look for in any veterinary scale. Here are our top ten:

1) The vet scale should be easy to calibrate, clean and maintain 2) A quick-connect power cord for easy installation 3) Labeling software compatible with your barcode printer 4) Great value for the money 5) Huge capacity (over 600 lbs.) 6) Solid construction 7) Easy to integrate with your work processes 8) High accuracy and precision 9) Durable load cells 10) A high quality 3-way weighbridge. For more information visit our Website.